Does your path to good health feel more like an uphill climb?
These four easy steps will make the journey a little bit easier.
My Story
A few months back I found myself meeting with a physical therapist to determine the best course of treatment for a severely stiff neck.
As we talked through the path that brought me here, he made a statement that resonated with me.
He said, “If everyone would walk, stretch and drink plenty of water every day, my patient load would be cut in half. ”
I took his statement as the free advice that it was and decided to intentionally practice all three.
Because I know myself well, I took it upon myself to add sleep as my fourth critical step.
I’m not always consistent, however, I am committed to continually improving.
If you want to improve your health, these four steps are an easy place to start.
Walking
Walking is so good for you, I wrote an entire post on the benefits of walking.
To sum it up, walking is good for you both physically and mentally.
Walking is a do anywhere, anytime, activity.
Walk on your lunch, before work, on your break, or even up and down the hall at work.
However, whenever, wherever, find ways to work extra steps into your day.
Water
The importance of drinking an adequate amount of water cannot be overstated.
Our bodies literally depend on water to survive.
Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body depends on water to function properly.
On some level, everyone understands this.
And yet, a high percentage of adults are chronically dehydrated.
If water isn’t automatically your go-to beverage, figure out a way to work it in.
Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, before meals, and before bed.
Set a glass of water on your desk at work.
Like walking, make it a priority, whenever and wherever you can.
A word of caution. If you’ve ever wondered if you can drink too much water, the answer is yes. I know this because my husband, Brian, did it, and he landed in the ER. I consider it a very expensive life lesson.
Stretching
Do you happen to remember the commercial about a body in motion stays in motion?
That’s the point of stretching.
The goal is to stay in motion without suffering any aches and pains while doing so.
Don’t think of stretching as a prelude to exercising.
Stretching is its own thing, with its own unique set of benefits.
To avoid injury, it is important to stretch safely.
If you don’t know where to start, sign up for an entry level yoga class.
Or reach out to a professional to get direction.
If you’re not sure if you should start a stretching routine, check with your doctor.
Just don’t wait until you land in PT unable to turn your head to take this easy step toward improving your health.
Sleeping
Of all the steps that can be taken on the path to improving your health, sleep is the mother of them all!
And yet, that is the first thing that goes when life gets too busy.
I compare a chronic lack of sleep to running a long-term, low- grade fever.
It may be possible for a while, but sooner or later, it will catch up with you and a crash will follow.
Sleep allows our bodies to reset mentally and physically.
Somehow, some way, make getting enough sleep a priority.
It may take a while to figure out how to make that happen, but your mental and physical health depends on it!
If your path to good health feels more like an uphill climb, take a breather.
Restart by focusing intentionally and consistently on these four easy steps.
While good health will always be a journey, you might just find that these four easy steps make the trip a bit more enjoyable.
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